Containers or hoppers are frequently used inside manufacturing facilities to facilitate the transport of various materials. They may be of varying dimensions and are typically adapted for handling by a forktruck. The hoppers may be used for scrap, trash, or even manufactured products--anything desired to be transported with the aid of a forktruck.
One type of hopper currently in use consists of a container open to the top and having a generally trapezoidal cross-section. The opposing identical trapezoidal sides of the container are curved and are fitted with runners at the rear and bottom to permit the container to roll backwards along a pair of tracks, thereby dumping or "pouring" the contents of the container. A latching mechanism at the front of the container holds the container in a non-dumping position. When it is desired to dump the container, the latch is manually disengaged. The weight of the contents of the container will usually cause the container to roll backwardly on its own along the tracks to dump the contents. There are, however, several undesirable features with this standard hopper design.
First, the pair of arcuate runners are provided with spaced apart, radially extending pins. The tracks of the hopper, upon which the container rocks, are provided with holes that are sized and spaced to precisely engage with the pins of the container. When the container is rocked back and forth on the tracks, the pins mate with the holes of the track to constrain the container within the desired rocking path. Fabrication of the pins and mating holes adds a significant expense to the hopper and requires fairly close tolerances to produce safe and reliable rocking action.
A second disadvantage with the present hopper design lies in the latching mechanism. Current latch mechanisms are typically disengaged by pivoting a handle, which disengages a hook on the end of the handle from a latch pin on the rockable container. These handles are designed to fall and stay into a locking position with the aid of gravity. When the forklift operator desires to dump the hopper, he will momentarily dismount the forklift and pivot the handle to release the container. There are times, however, when the weight distribution within the container is such that the container does not rock backwardly on its own. The operator may then get off the forklift again and either redistribute the load or manually push or kick the container to try to rock it backward. This and similar manipulations can make it difficult to operate the hopper as intended.
What is needed is a self dumping hopper design that is easier and less expensive to operate and is easier and more reliable to operate.